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Thursday

Mar 1, 2012 at 12:08 AM

LONDON — The British government summoned Argentina’s top diplomat to the Foreign Office on Wednesday to explain his country’s decision to ask 20 leading companies to stop importing British products and supplies because of the dispute over the Falkland Islands.

Argentine Industry Minister Debora Giorgi told the companies Tuesday they should replace British imports with products from other nations as Argentina stepped up its attempt to pressure London to negotiate about the sovereignty of the islands.

Tensions are rising ahead of the anniversary of the brief war between Argentina and Britain over the Falklands, which began on April 2, 1982, and saw more than 900 people die.

Britain’s Foreign Office raised its concerns about the imports to Argentine charge d’affaires Osvaldo Marsico, who it said is expected to “report back to Buenos Aires for urgent clarification.” Marsico is Argentina’s chief diplomat in Britain, as the country has not had a full ambassador since 2008.

“We made clear that such actions against legitimate commercial activity were a matter of concern not just for the UK, but for the EU as a whole, and that we expect the EU to lodge similar concerns with Argentine authorities,” Britain’s Foreign Office said in a statement Wednesday.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Thousands of supporters of two-time President Jean-Bertrand Aristide rallied in Haiti’s capital Wednesday on the eighth anniversary of the former leader’s ouster.

The demonstrators accused current President Michel Martelly of not doing enough to improve their lives and pressed for the departure of the country’s U.N. peacekeeping mission.

It was the largest demonstration against Martelly since he took office in May.

The protest comes two days after a lawyer who claimed to represent Aristide told a local radio station that the government was preparing to investigate the former leader on criminal charges. But the justice minister denied the claim, and Aristide’s lawyer in Miami said he did not know the man who made the announcement, but it still was enough to put Aristide supporters on edge.

“We’re telling Martelly to be careful,” said Jean-Claude Jeanty, a protester. “If the government plans to arrest him, we’re going to burn the country down.”

CAIRO — Libya’s general prosecutor has demanded that Egypt hand over 40 men accused of collaboration with former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi before and during an eight-month uprising that toppled his regime.

Abdel Aziz al-Hassadi, the Libyan prosecutor general, said Wednesday that the 40 face corruption allegations as well as accusations of complicity in killings during the uprising.

Among those wanted are Gadhafi’s cousin, Ahmed Gadhaf al-Dam, former Foreign Minister Ali al-Treki, military intelligence chief Bouzeid al-Jabou and Ali al-Kelani, who was said to be responsible for torture. Al-Hassadi said he was waiting for an Egyptian response.

Gadhafi’s daughter, Aisha, her mother and two of her brothers fled to neighboring Algeria, while another son, al-Saadi, and dozens of senior military officers escaped to Niger.

JOHANNESBURG — South African wildlife officials say a ranger is among four Kruger National Park workers arrested on rhinoceros poaching charges.

In a statement Wednesday, the national parks department said the four were arrested Tuesday by officers investigating the killing of two rhinos whose corpses were found earlier that day. The animals had been shot and stripped of their horns, which are prized among some who believe they have medicinal powers.

The parks department says the ranger arrested is among scores who have been striking for higher pay since early February.

Across the country, 80 rhinos have been poached since the beginning of 2012, more than half in Kruger, the country’s flagship park. Last year, a record 448 rhinos were poached in South Africa.

PRAGUE — The Czech government is giving up plans to take legal steps to ban the country’s Communist Party for its hardline positions and links to the former regime that executed hundreds of political prisoners.

Interior Minister Jan Kubice said Wednesday that expert analyses have concluded there are no legal grounds for banning the party.

In the Czech Republic, only the Supreme Administrative Court could rule to ban a political party at the government’s request.

Unlike most other communist parties in Eastern Europe that have joined the left-wing mainstream, the Czech Communist Party has maintained its hardline stance. Some consider it a threat to the Czech Republic’s democracy.

From Associated Press reports

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